One Crow's Sorrow
by Saga Svanhildr
Summary: Kallian Tabris is shocked when Zevran leaves her to fight Taliesin on her own.  This causes her to reflect on their relationship - or lack thereof.


_Welcome to my very first oneshot! This was written for **Isabeau of Greenlea** over on the Cheeky Monkeys of Dragon Age forum as part of a secret santa story exchange. She wanted a story featuring a city elf and any partner. I'm glad that you liked it! I also want to thank **RewindedMiracle** for reading this over for me! :)_

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><p>"And so here is the mighty Grey Warden at long last. The Crows send their greetings, once again," the dark-haired man at the top of the stairs casually addressed the group.<p>

"So they sent you, Taliesen? Or did you volunteer for the job?" _The _Taliesen? Kallian Tabris looked to Zevran who nodded in confirmation, as if he had read her thoughts.

"I volunteered, of course. When I heard that the great Zevran had gone rogue, I simply _had_ to see it for myself."

"Is that so? Well here I am, in the flesh."

"You can return with me, Zevran. I know why you did this, and I don't blame you. It's not too late. Come back and we'll make up a story. Anyone can make a mistake." Taliesen was almost pleading with her fellow elf.

Was this real? Zevran looked for a moment like he was actually considering it. He wouldn't… Would he? Kallian couldn't hold back, "Don't listen to him, Zevran!"

"Do not worry. I am not about to return to the loving arms of the Crows, believe me." Zevran assured her before turning back to his former friend. "You are going to lose, Taliesen. You are going to lose badly. You should have stayed in Antiva."

Apparently, this was a shock to the other assassin. "What? You've gone soft in the head! The Crows will make you pray for death, you fool!"

"Perhaps they will at that. But I'll take what time I have. You have a choice, Taliesen… all of you do."

"Traitor!" The Crow drew his weapons and started to descend the staircase.

"I won't fight against you, Taliesen… We were friends once, and more. But I will leave you to your fate. Good luck," Zevran said as he turned and left, immediately disappearing into the shadows of the alley.

Kallian almost missed the first blow directed toward her as she stared after him. Crows came flowing out of every dark corner around them. Luckily, Sten and Morrigan were paying better attention. Morrigan yelled her name just in time for Kallian to duck her attacker's swing and unsheathe her daggers.

Had he really just left? After everything he had told her about the Crows and Rinna, he had just walked away? She knew she shouldn't be surprised. Better to let the Warden deal with it; she dealt with everyone else's problems. Her own attacks were becoming more and more frenzied as her anger grew.

Zevran had tried to kill her and then become her best friend. He was there at her side for every difficult decision she had had to make thus far. Every step they took in the right direction of ending the Blight had come at a cost; some conveniently timed massacre or political crisis that no one else could _possibly_ put to an end. It _always_ had to be her. She cleaned up everyone else's shit. Maybe that's all she was to him too. Maybe she would get back to camp and he would be gone for good.

She faltered for a moment against her enemy as that thought sunk in. It was then that she realized she was currently engaged with Taliesen himself.

The smirk that crossed his face then looked entirely too much like Zevran's. He was still smiling when his head rolled across the ground at her feet.

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><p>The walk- more like forced march- back to the camp was silent as Kallian continued to rage internally. Really, she was just preparing herself for the inevitable questions from the rest of her companions as to why Zevran had come back to camp, packed his things, and left. That was surely how this evening was going to play out.<p>

Camp came into sight and the first thing she saw was Leliana and Wynne scowling. Instead of at her though, their anger was directed at the figure sitting alone on a log, staring into the fire.

Kallian stopped in her tracks. He hadn't left. Did that mean anything? No, he had still abandoned her to take care of _his_ problem. She had thought that since he was the only other elf in her group that he would understand what this experience had been like for her, but she was wrong. He was just like the rest of them. She couldn't trust anyone but her Mabari. Why couldn't every relationship be that simple?

That was the problem though. She had avoided starting a relationship with him. The man that she had been set to marry had ended up dead. She couldn't bear the thought of going through that again. But if she hadn't held back, would they still be in this situation? They might have faced his past together if she had just told him how she felt.

She continued into the camp and attempted to walk straight through the other side. She wasn't ready to speak to any of them yet, least of all, Zevran. As she stalked past him, he stood and grabbed her arm, "Kalli!"

"Let go of me," she hissed as she shook her arm out of his grip. "You have some nerve even speaking to me after that stunt you pulled!" Alistair and Oghren each came out of their tents to join the rest of the group staring at the scene unfolding before them. Kallian looked at each of them in turn before her gaze came back to Zevran's guilt-ridden face. She didn't say anything more to him; she simply turned and resumed her march into the forest around them. None of them were stupid enough to call after her.

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><p>Kallian loved being in the forest. Growing up in the city, she had never experienced the peacefulness she found when she was alone with just the trees and sky around her. After bathing in the nearby stream, she climbed a tree with the largest branches that she could find and stretched out to relax. She must have dozed off because she didn't even hear him approach.<p>

"Taliesen is dead, I assume. He must be, or you would not have returned. Then it is true… I am free of the Crows," Zevran said to her from the ground. She didn't acknowledge him. "They will assume that I am dead along with Taliesen. So long as I do not make my presence known to them, they will not seek me out."

Kallian fought to keep silent. Maybe he would leave her alone if she ignored him. The part of her that has to fix everything won out though. "You should have stayed and fought, Zevran."

"Believe it or not, despite my feelings about the Crows in general, I had no argument with Taliesen in specific. He was a good friend whose only fault lie in his priorities. I had no wish to fight him, and truly I would have preferred he not come after us at all. But what is done is done." He did sound pretty dejected about the situation. Kallian couldn't help but feel bad for him. She knew what it felt like to-

Wait… _Us?_

There was an 'us' now? What should she say?

"So he was a good friend?" _Really?_ She mentally slapped herself in the face.

"He was. And more. But there is no need to relive the past. That is all behind me, now. I suppose it would be possible for me to leave now, if I wished. I could go far away, somewhere where the Crows would never find me."

And there it was. He had no reason to stay; he just said it himself. Why had he even stayed this long if he was planning to go? He should have just left already. Get it over with.

She couldn't bring herself to say any of that though. "Is that what you want to do?"

She got no response. Confused, she moved further out onto her branch to look down at the ground.

He was gone.

Just as her tears threatened to start falling, she felt him settle behind her on the branch. The sneaky bastard had climbed her tree.

"No, mi querida, it isn't," he pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her.

The tears did fall then. "I thought you had left me, Zev," she sobbed while he stroked her back and arms.

"I will never make that mistake again, Kalli. I am truly sorry."

Kallian was at a loss for words. It seemed that she was dreaming for the second time that day as this was the most serious thing she had ever heard him say. Would she be seeing a new side to Zevran now that he didn't have to look over his shoulder at every turn?

That notion disappeared as soon as she glanced back at him. There was the smirk again.

"You are so tense, my Warden. Why don't you let me give you that massage now?"


End file.
